Deep Democracy: a process for dialogue for challenging issues in

Deep Democracy: a process for dialogue for challenging issues in the community
Jabu Mashinini
Inability to constructively engage with diversity of cultures, sexual orientation and gender,
religion, race, class, education etc. is at the heart of conflicts which often escalate to
inhumane violence and hatred. Deep democracy (Arnold Mindell) seeks to use the wisdom of
the group (system) in conflict in attempting to resolve conflicts caused by differences and
finding the best way forward for all. This methodology places inner work of all those who
engage with groups or communities at the centre of their practice. While as a facilitator you
may be entrusted with creating a safe space for the group’s deep conversation, a facilitator is
not solely responsible for what happens in the group’s engagement. Everyone in the system is
responsible. Every single individual within that system or group is the voice of that particular
system, and as a result carries part of the wisdom needed by the system. In order to honour all
voices of the system (unlike in our popular democratic ideology) – the ‘NO voice’ is given
equal space and listening, to hear what wisdom it has to offer the system. The question arises
then, what would be possible in our countries, communities and organisations if we were to
engage in the manner that held these principles as a form of dealing with our differences our
fears and/or longings to understand each other and continue to transform our relationships
from what we see in the world around us today? The Deep Democracy process is a real
exploration of this possibility through deep conversation with those who are looking for
another way …
Wil je ook graag weten hoe het proces van Deep democracy vorm krijgt in de praktijk dan
kan je deelnemen aan de Masterclass van Jabu Mashinini op vrijdag 4 december 2015, tussen
9u30 en 12u30 in Theater NONA te Mechelen.
Inschrijven via www.The7thC.be, en geef als zoekterm Masterclass in.